The invention relates to a feeder device for loose bulk components; particularly a feeder device for receiving randomly oriented components, and releasing each of the components having a desired orientation, for utilization in a crimping machine or other component fed apparatus.
Small elongated components are in common use throughout industry, and various devices and machines have been developed to facilitate the handling and utilization of these components, particular for automated processes into larger systems. Examples of such small elongated components include the various sizes and shapes of electrical contacts and connectors that are attached to electrical wire conductors and circuits by various well known soldering, bonding and crimping techniques.
A particular problem associated with the handing and assembly of small elongated components is that the components have different end configurations that require reliable orientation thereof for utilization in automated assembly processes.
The above problem is handled by some systems that pre-form or pre-assemble the components into a strip or belt type carrier, having a fixed orientation, for utilization in a crimping or processing machine. The use of such fixed configurations may require more complicated designs of the components and the processing machines, and often result in excessive scrap of the unused carrier materials. Also, some components can not be so adapted for such fixed orientation carrier feeding configurations.
A terminal handling apparatus of the prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,904 entitled Apparatus for Rotating an Electrical Lead About its Axis. The patent describes a machine for receiving a thin rectangular terminal connector on a conveyer belt and rotating the terminal over to re-position the crimping tangs within a crimping machine for processing. The prior art does not address the problem of inverting such a component end-to-end to a desired orientation for utilization; and does not indicate how such an apparatus could be adaptable to solve this problem.
The utilization of small elongated components is usually more efficient when the components can be handled in loose bulk quantities. Various machines have been developed to handle loose bulk quantities of components, particularly electrical pin contacts. Such machines usually incorporate a vibratory bowl having an internal helical track leading to a sorting gate and an exit chute. The efficient orientation of components within a vibratory bowl require components having a heavy end or a shoulder configuration near one end that allows most of the components to be arranged by vibration properly oriented into the track and sorted by the gate for dispensing and for re-circulating those few that are not properly oriented. An example of such a component handling device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,222 entitled Apparatus for Dispensing Elongated Small Mechanical Parts, which was invented by the inventor of the present invention.
A particular feeder problem is presented by small elongated components that have different end configurations and have no shoulder to facilitate reliable orientation in a vibratory bowl. An example of this type of component is a commonly used female electrical pin connector (identified as MIL-C-39029/57-357 contact size 22D) having one end with a hollow diameter for connection with a mating male pin connector, and having one end with a somewhat smaller hollow diameter for crimping to a wire conductor. These connectors are used in multiple-connector, high density circuitry applications having very tight space requirements, and the specifications do not permit a shoulder on the component. (The mating male connector is relatively smaller and does have a shoulder, and can be handled by conventional feed devices for utilization by current crimping machines.) Conventional bowl and feeder devices of these female pin connectors offer about 50% having the desired orientation and require repeated sorting and re-circulation of the components within the bowl. This re-circulation results in inefficient throughput and can cause damage to the components due to excessive handling. Other reliable alternatives, require such connectors to be oriented by hand for utilization in a conventional crimping machine
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a feeder device for receiving small elongated components end-to-end in random orientation and reliably and efficiently dispensing them having a desired orientation for utilization.
It is another object to provide a feeder device for receiving loose bulk components end-to-end in random orientation and reliably dispensing them one-at-a time having a desired orientation upon demand for utilization with a crimping machine.